Rugby League: Surprises abound as NRL finals near

By PETER JESSUP and NZPA

The unusual results continued as the NRL entered its final stage at the weekend, finals contender Brisbane needing to go into the twelfth overtime game of the season to beat the less-fancied Sharks 16-12 and the Cowboys upsetting hot tip the Dragons 34-10.

The Eels were unable to score a try in a 2-18 loss to Wests Tigers who kept their finals hopes alive and the Bulldogs looked ominous in their 46-20 demolition of champions Penrith.

The Roosters regained a share of the lead after toughing out a 26-10 win over Melbourne at Olympic Park yesterday. South Sydney won bottom spot after they blew a first-half lead against Newcastle to lose 22-31.

Halfback Kurt Gidley starred for the Knights, setting up three tries and kicking a decisive field goal late in the game.

The win put Newcastle within two points of eighth-placed Canberra.

Manly rose from the bottom of the table, scoring an upset win over the Raiders at Brookvale Oval.

The Sea Eagles won 36-22, with veteran Steve Menzies outstanding.

The result left them, the New Zealand Warriors, who had the bye this weekend, and Parramatta all on 16 points, one ahead of Souths.

The Broncos' win three minutes into the second period of extra time followed an ordinary game littered with mistakes from both teams, the most entertaining parts of regular time being the regular interchanges between the opposing big men.

Broncos skipper Gorden Tallis called former State of Origin team-mate Chris Beattie "a grub" and "a cheap-shot merchant" as he accused Beattie of throwing punches in the scrum and head-butts.

Referee Jason Robinson took no action bar awarding penalties after that and other exchanges, most notably between Sharks prop Jason Stevens and Broncos second rower Brad Meyers.

Brisbane led 12-0 after eight minutes, the Sharks' half Jason Kent getting them back in the game at 12-6 at the break and captain Danny Nutley scoring the last try of regular time in the 63rd minute, the 12-12 deadlock unchanged to the end.

Both Darren Lockyer and Nathan Merritt missed field-goal attempts in regular time and overtime before Shaun Berrigan made a break to put centre Brent Tate away, Tate regathering his own grubber to score in the 87th minute.

It was the second golden point match of the season for the Broncos after a 17-16 loss to Newcastle in round 10.

When asked his thoughts of the game, Broncos coach Wayne Bennett said: "Pretty negative".

"What comes around goes around. We lost one in round 10 and won one tonight. It means nothing to me.

"I'd be happy to go home with a point because we could have finished up with nothing."

The Cowboys drew a crowd of 17,262 to watch them turn a 14-4 halftime lead to a big win thanks to some superb solo dummy-and-step work from bench player Matt Bowen, who scored two tries and set up another for Josh Hannay.

There was bad news for the home side; Hannay is on report for a high shot on Ben Creagh and both Shane Tronc and Travis Norton suffered ankle injuries.

But it was a bad 31st birthday for Dragons coach Nathan Brown, whose side crumbled in the face of big forward power led by Kiwi Paul Rauhihi.

On Friday night there were more confusing decisions from the officials. Bulldogs captain Steve Price got over the line but video ref Steve Clark ruled there was a hand under the ball - to Price's disbelief.

Added to that was confusion between ref Paul Simpkins and Clark over the tackle count, which should have been restarted at three but was called last play.

Penrith led 8-0 early on and held that until halfback Brent Sherwin scored for the Dogs after 28 minutes and again minutes later thanks to replacement Sonny Bill Williams, who had just come on. Williams, 19 tomorrow, busted the line and threw the inside ball for Sherwin's second and a 12-8 lead and continued to play a barnstorming game.

In the second half the video ref seemed to want to balance the Price decision, awarding Andrew Ryan a try when it appeared he was held out by Luke Priddis. The Dogs backs cut loose, with centres Jamaal Lolesi and Willie Tonga both getting doubles and Kiwi win Matt Utai scoring.

Panthers coach John Lang said his side had got into some bad habits lately. "We gave away too many stupid penalties.

"It's not a part of our game but I'll be honest, [for] a few of our players it has probably become too much a part of their game."

Scott Prince was the destroyer for the Tigers, setting up three tries and continually troubling the defence. The Eels had first points from a penalty but from there it was all bad, the kick-off from Brett Hodgson firing back off the posts and the Tigers scoring four rucks later after Prince put through a kick for Shane Elford.

Another Prince kick produced a try for former Warrior Robbie Mears and it was his break that put Daniel Fitzhenry away for their third touchdown.

The Eels get two points from the bye next round, then play Cronulla away, the Warriors in a crunch game at Parramatta, the Panthers at home and Roosters away.

Souths have the Tigers then Cowboys away, Manly at North Sydney Oval, the Broncos at home and the Raiders away. Manly face Penrith away, the Knights at home, Souths at North Sydney, the Dragons at Kogarah and the Storm at home.

The Warriors will welcome back four heavyweights for their game against Brisbane at Ericsson Stadium next Saturday nigh - skipper Monty Betham, centres Tony Martin and Clinton Toopi over injury and prop Jerry Seuseu finished his lengthy suspension. They then play the Dragons and Eels away, the Roosters and Bulldogs at Ericsson.

Hooker Tevita Latu's season is over. He has undergone surgery on the shoulder injury that has plagued him most of the year.

The Warriors have had no formal discussions with former co-captain Kevin Campion regarding a job with the coaching staff though there is a mutual interest that will be talked through once his playing career is over with North Queensland.

Campion has no coaching credentials but would bring plenty of game-day experience and carry lots of respect. Warriors general manager Spiro Tsiros said he could not put a percentage on the likelihood of Campion and the club reaching deal because they had not started talks.

Wing Henry Fa'afili's release to Warrington on a three-year deal has been completed and he leaves mid-week with the expectation that he will play against the Bradford Bulls next weekend.

Justin Murphy asked for two weeks off to play for a combined Auckland side in a rugby sevens tournament in England and has been advised to look around while he is over there. His contract is up at the end of the season and the club is honouring that but not offering more.

Utility Sione Faumuina has been placed on a good behaviour bond, with a fine of an amount Tsiros was yet to determine hanging over his head, after a third late-night drink-related incident.

The Herald believes the bond would be about one-tenth of Faumuina's salary or around $20,000. Faumuina will be required to attend a rehabilitation course.